


The Eightfold Path

by LonestWolfe



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AC/DC References, Alternate Universe, Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Canon Compliant Up Till Year 3, Competency, F/M, Gen, Ilvermorny, Ilvermorny House - Pukwudgie, India, Legilimency (Harry Potter), MACUSA | Magical Congress of the United States of America, Not Canon Compliant, Not Canon Compliant - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Occlumency (Harry Potter), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Quodpot (Harry Potter), Regulus Black Lives, United States, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-18 13:21:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28867695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LonestWolfe/pseuds/LonestWolfe
Summary: It took all of Regulus's focus to keep his voice steady and face placid as he asked, "What makes you think I know that criminal?"Suha's smirk grew sharper. "I'm glad you asked, Brian. Firstly, you had no inclination of going back home before today, but you take one look at the news and decide that it's 'been too long' since you've 'seen your homeland.'" She framed her words in air quotes, heavily implying his dishonesty, before continuing. "Secondly, you're obviously a British pureblood, and I'm betting that just like back home in India, everybody important knows everybody else in their circles, so you must have come into contact with him at some point." She looked at him, waiting for him to refute the point, but he made no move to speak, so she kept talking. "Next, let's talk about when you came to Phoenix. According to Dohasan, you arrived here in late 1981, just after the death of Lord Voldemort,"Regulus flinched,"with nothing but the clothes on your back and your wand. Obviously, you're a former Death Eater that managed to evade capture but was forced to flee to America after the death of your master, and now that his right-hand man is back in action, you want to go help him out."
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Regulus Black/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 22





	The Eightfold Path

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER DISCLAIMER: IF YOU RECOGNIZE IT AS PART OF THE HP UNIVERSE, I do not own it.

The wizarding settlement now called Phoenix lies not near the No-Maj city named Phoenix, but further north, hidden in one of the canyons carved from centuries of river flow. Currently, it is the largest of the three wizard-only settlements in North America, boasting a population hovering around 5,000 wizards and a quarter as many _tuuhikqa_ (also known as Squibs), almost a sixth of Magical America's population. This makes it the sixth largest permanent magical town in the Wizarding World, only beat out by locations such as the so-called _Hidden Monastery_ in Nepal and the _Valley of Wizards_ in Egypt (close to the No-Maj Valley of Kings). Because of its size, the town called Phoenix sends five representatives to the Magical Congress of the United States of America every seven years, the highest out of any region.

From afar, the canyon appears to be just that, a canyon. However, as one gets closer, they can notice the rough structures carved out of the rock, with steep stairs in between. Its founders first put down roots in the area prior to the turn of the tenth century, carving out a place in the desert with their magic and might. In those times, magicals and non-magicals alike mingled and mixed, sharing strategies and spells, techniques born of troublesome trials. Back then, wizards were known as shaman, capable of curing the most devastating of illnesses or cursing a person, a family, or a tribe out of existence. A true shaman could dance with the magic of the land, leading it to the tune of their own drum. Calling the rain and moving the earth, while no easy feat, sustained the Pueblo peoples for centuries.

And then in 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue, bringing with him centuries of prejudice and violence.

While the European wizards had known of the faraway land, the _New World_ , none had ever attempted to venture to it, or if they had, none had come back to tell the tale. It was far out of apparition distance, if one could even picture the spot where they would land, and using a portkey wasn't any better.

The Spanish invaders roamed the continent, looting and subjugating those in their path. The Spanish wizards that accompanied them fought by their side, all for the glory of the crown. There was much wealth to be gained in the _New World_ , treasures to find and reputations to be built, and wizards were no less susceptible to the call of greed. For example, the then rising wizarding House of Habsburg sent a contingent of wizards with the No-Maj's to bolster their families' influence back home by enriching their coffers with the plundered gold.

It was then that the town called Phoenix was hidden from unfriendly eyes. By weaving the magic of the earth and sky, the town called Phoenix became naught but a mirage to its enemies. To its allies, it was a beacon of hope, a safe harbor in a troubled world.

This was especially true during the reign of the Scourers across North America. As more wizards and witches populated the so-called _New World_ , grassroots organizations of vigilantes sprang up to keep the peace and track down wanted criminals. However, they quickly strayed from their goals; getting bribes from the highest-paying bidder to sell out their fellow wizards, and taking money from non-magical witch hunters by Confounding innocent No-Majs.

By the time the International Confederation of Wizards enacted the Statute of Secrecy, no non-magical beings lived in the town called Phoenix. Decades prior, the residents had come to an accord with the Spanish wizards in the _Paz de Fenix_ (actually the _Paz del Fenix_ , on account of the phoenix feather quills used to sign and bind the document), which is when the town called Phoenix was first described as such, on account of the true name containing too many consonants and too few vowels for the Spanish to pronounce. In it, the town called Phoenix became a magicals only settlement, and the magic of earth and sky was once again twisted by the Native American shaman.

This agreement codified the rules which the citizens had abided by for centuries, which was why when the Magical Congress of the United States was founded twenty-two years later, the citizens of Phoenix kept to themselves. Of course, they sent representatives to preside over the MACUSA, but really, they were their own nation. 

While the MACUSA prides itself on policing the entirety of the United States of America, they have no control over many of the hedge-wizard and -witch communities scattered across the nation, much less the town called Phoenix.

All this goes to explain why the town called Phoenix is the perfect place to hide if you're a wizard on the run. Such was the case of one Regulus Black. After stealing Slytherin's locket, Regulus had the house-elf Kreacher wipe him from the family tree, effectively faking his death before fleeing the country in search of a haven.

After landing in the United States, he hopped around the country, never stopping for more than a week in a single place, such was his paranoia. It took him a month to finally master the _fiendfyre_ , and as he cast the locket into the flames, he felt a weight lift off his shoulders. His part in the war was done.

His efforts were vindicated two years later when he read in the international section of _The New York Ghost_ (page five, as if the Dark Lord wasn't worthy of the front page) that the Dark Lord had been vanquished. With the news, he was finally able to relax and settle down in a single place, arriving in Phoenix just in time for the Christmas holidays of 1984, where he had remained ever since.

* * *

**July 31, 1990**

**Amato's Apothecary**

Amato's Apothecary, started in the early twentieth century by an enterprising Italian wizard named Giancarlo Amato, was one of the newer buildings in the town called Phoenix. Instead of being carved into the side of the canyon as many of the other buildings were, the apothecary lay on the banks of the river that flowed through the center of the canyon. This was not only for the supply of freshwater but also to harvest the _dousaka_ , a rather rare type of magical river grass. It was the premier potion ingredient shop in the Southwestern United States, and the third-largest business in the canyon, known for its same-day potions delivery.

It was here that Regulus Black worked as a part-time potioneer (and part-time black market dealer). Or rather, it was here that _Brian Johnson_ worked, a low-level potioneer and magic researcher hoping to save money to pay for a mastery.

Regulus left the potion of dreamless sleep to boil as he walked into the breakroom of Amato's Apothecary. It was filled with shelves of potions books, such as _Pablo's Guide to Powerful Potions_ by Pablo Diosdado, _Double, Double, Cauldron Troubles_ by Ms. Burn and Mr. Bubbles, and _Le Livre Standard des Ingredients_ from the International Alliance of Potioneers _._ In the center of the room, there were a few couches, surrounding a table that the brewers used for lunch. Sitting on one of the couches was Regulus's good friend and co-worker, Bradley Martin. A first-gen California native and graduate from the Ilvermorny house of Pukwudgie, Bradley was known as a friendly, easy-going wizard and specialized in healing potions, such as Dittany. In his hands was _The New York Ghost_ , one of the foremost journals in Magical America, delivered daily to citizens across the country. Known for their intense investigative journaling, it was _The New York Ghost_ that first exposed the Quodpot scandal of 1908, which led to the revoking of the national championship from the Texas Thunderbirds after they swept the Kansas Kelpies in the Flutterby Bowl, played in Houston.

Bradley looked up from the paper as Brian walked in the door, with a serious look on his face. "Didja hear the news, Brian? Someone broke out of Azkaban!"

Regulus froze as he took in the words. Someone had broken out of the inescapable prison. In Britain, it was known as hell on Earth, used to threaten little children into eating their vegetables. Regulus personally knew many of those jailed in that place.

"Who?" Regulus asked, as calmly as he could. While it was known that Regulus was from Britain, he had taken a transformation amulet from the Black family vault before leaving his homeland, which made him appear nondescript in every sense of the word. That spell was then supplemented by several more, leaving him unrecognizable as a former scion of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black

Bradley read from the paper in his hands. "Notorious Death Eater Sirius Black. It says here that he was the right-hand man of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

"Really?" exclaimed Regulus, shocked at the pronouncement. He walked over and snatched the papers out of Bradley's hands, reading through the article.

**NOTORIOUS DEATH EATER SIRIUS BLACK HAS ESCAPED FROM AZKABAN PRISON**

**by Emilia Miller**

_As knowledgeable readers may know, Azkaban is the name of the British wizarding prison responsible for housing the most wicked wizards and witches. Patrolled by dementors, the prison was thought to be inescapable, as no wandless wizard could overcome such eldritch horrors. Furthermore, the prison is located on Azkaban Island, surrounded by the frigid North Sea. However, this past Saturday, The New York Ghost received reports that Sirius Black, widely known as the_ **_right-hand man of He-Who-Must-Not-Named_ ** _(Lord Voldemort), has managed to slip out of his cell and escape the island. When interviewed on the topic by British Correspondent Alex Bennett, members of the Wizengamot suggested that Black used dark magic learned from his master to fend off the dementors and escape the island. Black was arrested thirteen years ago after he dueled and killed Peter Pettigrew, a long time friend of the Potters, as well as twelve muggles. Prior to his arrest, Black was the Secret-Keeper of the Potters, who he gave up to his master in a betrayal of ten years of friendship to the late James Potter. Black is known to be quite mad, suffering from the curse of his family. "We are doing everything we can to recapture Black," said British Minister of Magic Cornelius, as he urged the magical community to "remain calm in these trying times."_

_While it is unlikely that Black should choose to come to the United States, we here at The New York Ghost urge you to be careful, and if one should see Black, call an Auror at once._

As he read through the short piece in the international section of _The New York Ghost_ , Regulus's mood steadily plummeted. His brother, Sirius Black, a Death Eater. The same Sirius Black fled the family and was supposedly disowned (Regulus knew that his grandfather still designated Sirius as his heir, seeing as he wasn't yet Lord Black, despite his grandfather's death in 1990) for being a "blood traitor." Who in their right mind would believe such a thing? Surely he hadn't been placed in Azkaban, Dumbledore wouldn't allow one of his precious Order of the Phoenix members to be left to the dementors. Regulus sat down on the sofa heavily.

"You know this guy, Brian?" asked Bradley, noticing the pale features of his friend's face.

"I beg your pardon?" said Regulus, weakly, as he stared at the wanted picture of his brother.

"It's pretty obvious that you're affected by the news, man. Earlier, you were calm and peaceful, but now, you're all tense." Bradley gestured with his hand at his whole body, with an understanding look on his face. "Reminds me of the first time I met you back in '85."

When Regulus didn't reply, Bradley sighed and said, "Look, you don't have to tell me, but it doesn't take a genius to know that you're on the run from something back home having to do with this Voldemort guy." Regulus flinched, still not used to the casual way Americans used the name of the Dark Lord. "I mean, a British wizard living with wards no one here has seen before that barely pokes their head out except to get food. Pretty conspicuous if you ask me. And if you're scared of this guy coming after you, I'm here for you."

Regulus looked at his friend, taking in the determined look on the man's face. "I'm not scared of Sirius Black, Bradley. I'm just surprised that someone was able to escape Azkaban." Regulus looked back at the photograph of his brother. "I grew up hearing stories about how good the security of the prison was, you know." Regulus set the paper on the table and attempted to relax the build-up of tension in his body. His brother was an escaped convict, on the run for a crime he didn't commit. Besides those in the Dark Lord's circles, who only gained when it was revealed that Sirius Black had put them under the _Imperius_ curse, he was likely the only one that knew the truth of the matter.

"If you say so, Brian." Bradley clapped Regulus on the shoulder, before standing up and walking out of the room, leaving Regulus to stew in his thoughts.

* * *

**A few hours later...**

**Scarlet's Cantina**

Regulus took another swig from his glass of Redrum, a hefty wizarding liquor, piecing together what he was about to say.

Bradley, ever the Pukwudgie, had forced him to come to Scarlet's after their shift finished to help him "sort things out," whatever that meant. He had attempted to distract Regulus from the news of the breakout, thinking that Regulus was afraid of Sirius Black hunting him down. He was wrong, of course, but Regulus appreciated the effort. Half an hour into their discussion about the latest Quodpot match between the Florida Fire-Breathers and the California Chimeras, they were joined by another friend from work, Suha Rajinikanth.

After studying Vedic magic on her family's estates in Kalale, Suha had come to the United States in the late '80s for a Potions Mastery under Potions Master Ermanno Amato, son of Giancarlo Amato and current owner of Amato's Apothecary. A precocious, intelligent, and headstrong witch, she was a self-appointed _Queen of Gossip_ , thanks to her eye for detail. Now in the last year of her Mastery, Suha oversees the operations of the Apothecary while her Master takes a well-earned vacation to the hometown of his forefathers.

Regulus eyed Suha as she walked into the bar and dropped herself into the seat next to him. She was wearing tight-fitting No-Maj clothing, a rare sight in a wizard-only settlement like Phoenix. Her skinny blue jeans were ripped in on the knees, which Suha would call stylish and Regulus would call a lack of sophistication. The bright pink crop top she wore hugged her body and revealed her belly button piercing when she moved. Regulus still didn't know whether it had a magical purpose or not. 

"What are you doing here?" he asked as she ordered a Canyon Kool-Aid, a magical beverage created by a first-gen combining the sugary No-Maj drink with the crushed eggshells of the snakes in the canyon of the town called Phoenix.

"Bradley asked me too," she replied, giving him a judgemental look, "Said you had some kind of announcement to share with us."

Regulus swung around and attempted to give the man a disgusted glare, but as a known light-weight, Regulus could already feel his control slipping.

The man met his stare head-on, and shrugged as he said, "I also invited Hanae and Dohasan, so you might want to wait until they get here."

Regulus just shook his head and took another drink from his beer. As Suha and Bradley began to chat about the new shipment of potions supplies, Regulus's thought turned back to his brother, and the fall of House Black after he left England. His father was long past, and his mother was now dead, most likely because of some curse they sustained during the war. His grandfather had also died not too long ago, old age finally catching up to the powerful man. His brother and eldest cousin had been imprisoned. Andromeda had long been since kicked out of the family, disowned for standing by the man she loved. And Narcissa, his youngest cousin, married the Death Eater Lucius Malfoy. However, if he were able to prove his brother's innocence, maybe their fortunes would change for the better.

Regulus was pulled from his thoughts as Dohasan and Hanae sat down across from him.

Dohasan, formally known as Dohasan of Phoenix, was a middle-aged wizard from an old Native American family that had lived in the town called Phoenix since its founding over a millennium ago. After spending years traveling the world learning about other wizarding cultures, Dohasan had come back to his hometown to synthesize the knowledge he had learned. Regulus had worked with him to help the man better understand the Merlian system as implemented in Great Britain, and in return, Dohasan had taught him some of the more practical teachings of Native American magic.

Next to Dohasan was Hanae Fujimi, an elderly Japanese witch who had come of age during the Second World War. While wizards tended to steer clear of No-Maj conflicts, the war had been mirrored by the rise of Gellert Grindelwald, a radical anti-isolationist that sought to bring an end to the International Statute of Secrecy. Coupled with the horrific No-Maj conflict, wizards from around the world were forced to respond both on and off the battlefield, against the wishes of many in the Ministry of Magic. When the United States No-Maj military dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Hanae used her magic to save hundreds of lives by purifying the land around her in what No-Maj scientists called a miracle. However, the incident had damaged her magical core, which made her seek help in the United States among the Native Americans, who had more experience with the instinctive magic displayed by the young woman. She also worked with Dohasan to share her knowledge about the use of magic in Japan, especially concerning magical creatures.

"Is this about the news of the Azkaban escapee?" asked Dohasan, looking at Regulus

"Indirectly," replied Regulus, "It has been far too long since I have seen my homeland, and the article today reminded me of that." Dohasan nodded, accepting Regulus's words.

Next to him, Hanae scowled. "You intend to move back to a country where a mass murderer is on the loose?" she questioned indignantly. "Just as I thought you were finally gaining back some sense after the Winter Debacle two years ago." Regulus winced at the reference;he had been coerced into celebrating Christmas at a No-Maj bar with the rest of the staff from Amato's Apothecary.

Thankfully, Suha jumped in to defend him. "You know that wasn't entirely his fault." She glanced at Regulus with a smirk on her face. "He's just the one that started it."

"And I've apologized for it, repeatedly."

Regulus took another sip of his drink as Dohasan spoke again. "But why would you want to go back to a country in crisis?"

"Well...Brian did say earlier that he wasn't afraid of Sirius Black. I wonder why that was," mused Bradley, stroking his patchy beard as his thick eyebrows scrunched up in thought. Not for the first time that night, Regulus cursed the man for being far too observant.

"Yeah, _Brian_ ," said Suha, turning to face him. "Tell us how you know Sirius _Black_."

It took all of Regulus's focus to keep his voice steady and face placid as he asked, "What makes you think I know that _criminal_?"

Suha's smirk grew sharper. "I'm glad you asked, _Brian_ . Firstly, you had no inclination of going back home before today, but you take one look at the news and decide that it's 'been too long' since you've 'seen your homeland.'" She framed her words in air quotes, heavily implying his dishonesty, before continuing. "Secondly, you're _obviously_ a British pureblood, and I'm betting that just like back home in India, everybody important knows everybody else in their circles, so you must have come into contact with him at some point." She looked at him, waiting for him to refute the point, but he made no move to speak, so she kept talking. "Next, let's talk about when you came to Phoenix. According to Dohasan, you arrived here in late 1981, just after the death of Lord Voldemort,"

Regulus flinched,

"with nothing but the clothes on your back and your wand. Obviously, you're a former Death Eater that managed to evade capture but was forced to flee to America after the death of your master, and now that his right-hand man is back in action, you want to go help him out."

Regulus stared at the woman incredulously as a proud smile came to her face, shocked at how correct and incorrect her conclusions were. Then he started clapping. "Bravo, bravo, Suha. You cracked the case. And I thought I hid it _so_ well."He stopped clapping and rolled up his sleeves, displaying his bare arms.

Suha looked pleased for a moment, before focusing on the lack of a Mark on his forearm."Are you saying I'm not right?"

"On the contrary. You were almost entirely correct. Incidentally, if I happened to have a Dark Mark, what would you do?"

"Well, you obviously left for a reason, and I doubt that this Voldemort fellow takes desertion lightly. What's done is done." To his right, Bradley nodded in agreement.

"But you have met Sirius Black, Brian?" asked Dohasan, an intense look on his face.

"Let's just say I have a _personal_ interest in making sure that _criminal_ is brought to justice." Regulus took another swig from the glass of Redrum, finishing it.

"That makes much more sense," said Hanae, familiar with the ravages of war. "Still, I don't like the idea of you going alone, especially up against someone who escaped from Azkaban. I can hardly imagine the Dark magic required to do so."

"Yes, it's patrolled by Dementors, no?" Dohasan had a curious look on his face, deep in thought. "While I've never experienced one in person, I've read it's similar to facing a Boggart."

"That's not true," interjected Bradley. "They brought in a Dementor to a healing lecture I attended in Europe so that we could get a sense of what patients go through. It was behind multiple Patroni, but even then I could feel that the depressing feeling was much different from simple Boggart fear."

"Well, he won't be going alone." Regulus turned back to Suha as she made the announcement. "I'll go with _Brian_ here to make sure he stays nice and safe, and I've always wanted to visit the _motherland_ ," she said, referring to the colonial relationship between No-Maj Britain and India. The obviously (why else would she volunteer to go with him) drunk witch wrapped an arm around him in the crude approximation of a hug.

"I'm sure that's the real reason," Regulus said sarcastically, annoyed at the witch.

"Well, another good reason to go with you is to finally get my Potions Mastery. Master Ermanno just sent back the paperwork from Italy. I was going to go to Paris soon anyway to turn it in for my certificate, and it's on the way to Britain." She turned to look at Bradley. "You'll be in charge of the Apothecary until he gets back." The man nodded, pleased with the promotion.

Turning her focus to the young witch, Hanae asked, "When were you going to tell us about your accomplishment, Suha?"

"I just did!"

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a review on your way out. :)  
> If there are any glaring plot holes/problems with the story, let me know, and I'll do my best to explain it.  
> Thank you for reading and have a good day!


End file.
